By Benjamin Cuaresma
MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Monday announced sweeping education reforms aimed at preparing Filipino students for an increasingly digital world, highlighting artificial intelligence (AI) literacy, stronger campus security, expanded teacher support, and accelerated classroom construction.
In his fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA), Marcos said the government is promoting AI literacy across all sectors while strengthening critical thinking, creativity, innovation, and problem-solving skills among the youth to ensure the country’s global competitiveness.
The President said scholarships, research grants, and innovation programs—including the Young Creative Challenge, the National Innovation Council (NICE), and the Filipinnovation Awards—will continue to encourage young Filipinos to excel in science, technology, and innovation.
Marcos also warned of the harmful effects of fake news, online pornography, violent content, and toxic social media culture, saying these contribute to mental health concerns, teenage pregnancies, HIV/AIDS cases, and other social problems affecting young Filipinos.
Calling for a whole-of-society approach, he urged families, schools, religious institutions, communities, industries, and government agencies to work together in protecting children from harmful online influences.
The President expressed condolences to the families of students who recently died in separate incidents of violence, paying tribute to Chris Lawrence Fabian, Joanne C. Separa, and Aiesa Nicole Dazo for what he described as their courage and selflessness.
To strengthen student welfare, Marcos announced the deployment of the first batch of 10,000 School Counselor Associates to public schools to provide learners with accessible mental health counseling and guidance services.
He added that the School-Based Feeding Program will continue this academic year, benefiting more than 4.5 million kindergarten, Grade 1, and nutritionally at-risk learners.
Marcos also reported that more than 80,000 public school teachers and school heads have been promoted under the government’s expanded career progression program, while over 30,000 new teaching positions have been created to strengthen the education workforce.
To address the classroom shortage, the President said the government has enlisted the Department of Public Works and Highways, PAGCOR, local government units, and private partners to accelerate school construction, with an initial 16,000 classrooms set to be built in Luzon through public-private partnerships.
ia/xf
